Winter conditions are the cause of a lot of damage to cars, but much of this damage can be avoided with proper care and precautions to prepare your car for winter. You can make your car ready for winter without any struggle and difficulties. It’s just simple things like giving fluid to clean your windshield, checking how much pressure is on your car tires, and keeping your gas tank always full.
This step will make you keep calm when you are driving in snow or ice. It also keeps your car in top performance during the winter. If you want to know the information in detail on way to prepare and keep your car to face the winter, please check the following tips.
Change the Wiper
Replace your windshield wipers and wiper air to prepare your car for winter. Poor visibility is very dangerous to drive, especially in winter. It is important to make sure that your windshield wipers are working properly.
Old rubber is prone to cracking, tearing, or not working at all when dealing with ice deposits on your windshield. You need to check and make sure if the rubber on your wiper is already cracked or broken, you need to take note that the rubber must be replaced at least every six to twelve months. You can also consider buying wiper rubber specifically designed for winter.
Fill the water tank for your windshield with fresh washing-up liquid. Some washing liquids have an astringent to defrost and lower freezing temperatures, making them a great choice for winter.
Check the Tire Pressure
Check the pressure in your tires. Maintaining the correct tire pressure on your vehicle is very important in winter. Flat tires have less bite, making them easy to slip on frozen surfaces.
Keep in mind that tire pressure will affect the temperature drop – in fact, for every 5 degrees Celsius drop in temperature, the air pressure in the tire will decrease by about 1 PSI. When in the winter condition, make sure that you always check your tire conditions accordingly.
A tire gauge can be used to make sure that there is correct pressure in your tires and that it matches the standard of your vehicle. If you don’t understand this, check the inside end of the side of the driver’s door. There should be a sticker on it indicating several things, including suggestions for tire pressure.
If you don’t have a tire gauge, you can usually find one at the gas station. In the gas station, you can fill the tires with enough air. It will not a big money for that, even you can get it for free.
The important thing you must not forget is while checking the tire pressure, please be aware and check whether the tires are already bald or still good to go. If it needs to be replaced, do it before winter comes.
Using Wax
Put some wax on your car before winter comes. Waxed car surfaces resist snow, dirt, and salt better than non-waxed car surfaces. Your car will look more sophisticated and also the paint on your car will get protected by using wax. Wax will be able to give your car a better look and also able to protect the paint of your car to be more sustainable.
Before you use wax, make sure you wash your car first. Don’t forget to wash the underside of your car to remove any remaining grit or salt.
Try to wax your car the moment before the time of first snow falls, maybe you can make it before the temperature reaches the number less than 12 degrees Celsius. This wax will protect the car paint, and also make snow or ice easier to clean.
While you’re waxing, it’s a good idea to clean the “inside” of your car afterward. Get rid of clutter, vacuum your floors and car seats, and use upholstery cleaner if necessary. You may need to replace your car carpet with a waterproof carpet, to protect your car floor from melting ice and snow.
Check the Headlights
Make sure your car headlights are working properly to prepare your car for winter. It is very important and crucial for having a very clear view, especially on nights in winter conditions. You cannot get any incident just because you can see clearly.
It’s important to be able to see clearly, but more importantly, you are clearly “visible”. This is why making sure your car’s headlights are working properly is so important. Ask someone to help you check your entire car’s lights, including headlights, taillights, backup lights, and turn signals also including the hazard lights.
You also need to note that the lights will be a burden on your vehicle’s electrical system in winter. This is because every day will be more often dark. You cannot pass this process and please make sure to always see through this in the process of testing the battery condition before starting the engine.
